Man (21) charged with sex offences

A 21-YEAR-OLD man with an Irish passport was remanded in custody in England yesterday after being charged with offences involving young girls.

Patrick Burnell, with an address at Hadleigh, Suffolk, was arrested in Prague in the Czech Republic and flown to Britain on Tuesday.

British authorities had issued a European Arrest Warrant for Mr Burnell in June.

Mr Burnell, who has dual British-Irish citizenship, was travelling on an Irish passport.

Mr Burnell appeared before magistrates in Norwich yesterday and was remanded in custody until August 20th, when he will appear at Norwich Crown Court.

He is charged with sex offences against children, possession of indecent images and making indecent images.

The alleged offences were committed in Norfolk and Suffolk in the east of England, the Crown Prosecution said.

Consular assistance has being provided to Mr Burnell since his arrest.

Such assistance will continue to be provided through the Irish Embassy in Prague, a spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed yesterday.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times